A user operated audio or video device (multimedia device) such as a digital versatile disc (DVD) player or an audio/video receiver typically supports a plurality of parameters that affect the output of audio or video. For example, a DVD player playing a media object such as a movie from a DVD disc may have parameters changed where a user may want to view video presented in a 16:9 instead of a 4:3 aspect ratio. A user operating the multimedia device has to designate specific audio and video parameters in order to have the playback of a media object change. In the DVD player example, a user instructs the DVD player to provide video in a 16:9 aspect ratio from the previously used 4:3 image aspect ratio. This example equally applies to audio parameters that affect the playback of audio.
A user operating a multimedia device with many different operating parameters has to have a sufficient understanding of the parameters represent to fully utilize the capabilities of the multimedia device. Some users leave multimedia devices with pre-selected factory-selected or default parameters because the users do not know about what the parameters effect or how to adjust such parameters. For example, a user may not know the differences between stereo and surround sound audio modes. The multimedia device then performs at a sub-optimal level when outputting a media object, because the default audio and video modes typically offer a compromise that does not take full advantage of the capabilities of the multimedia device (for example, a DVD player operates in a stereo default mode (home quality) instead of Dolby 5.1 (movie theater quality).
Furthermore, a user may want to have a multimedia media device operate with different parameters during different times of the day, for example a user may want a media object such as a movie be rendered in a lower volume at night, versus in a loud setting during the day time. Currently, devices do not offer a simple way of enabling such user preferences.
A user must also consider the operation of a media center, in light of the addition of an emergency alarm notification system. Many multimedia devices will include such alarm systems, in case of a weather or national security emergency, where the parameters set up by a user may have to be overridden to receive notification of an emergency situation. Ideally, a user may want to exercise control over the types of alarms, and when such alarms are presented.